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DE RUEHBJ #0019/01 2631001
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 201001Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7562
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 4585
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 020019 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2031 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KCUL SOCI CH
SUBJECT: THAI COUP CAPTURES CHINESE MEDIA ATTENTION 
 
REF: 05 BEIJING 5277 
 
Classified By: Political Internal Unit Chief Susan A. 
Thornton.  Reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) News of the overnight coup in Thailand 
dominated the news cycle in Beijing September 20. 
Coverage was generally straightforward and emphasized 
that the coup was orderly and bloodless.  Popular 
dailies ran front page headlines and Internet news 
sites quickly developed special coverage links, 
complete with colorful graphics and timelines. 
Propaganda authorities have not yet issued guidance on 
media treatment of the story, contacts reported.  They 
speculated that censors would react quickly if images 
of social unret start coming out of Bangkok.  The 
incident omes at a time when Chinese interest in 
Thailand is surging, both among tourists and 
entrpreneurs.  Moreover, regular news consumers are 
aware of PM Thaksin's Chinese ancestry.  Manychat 
room postings on the coup noted opposition to the 
military's actions.  End Summary. 
 
Front Page News 
--------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) High-circulation Chinese dailies such as The 
Beijing News and the Beijing Youth Daily ran bold 
headlines at the top of their front pages announcing 
the overnight coup in Bangkok.  The Beijing News 
included a two-page special section recapping the 
events, complete with dramatic color photographs, a 
map and a timeline.  Most major official newspapers 
ran straightforward coverage that emphasized that the 
coup was orderly and bloodless.  Party mouthpiece The 
People's Daily published a short coup-related piece on 
page three.  Internet news sites such as Sohu.com and 
Sina.com provided the most colorful treatment of the 
story, including many photographs and links to 
background information on Thailand and Prime Minister 
Thaksin.  The official Xinhuanet wire service site 
also gave the coup top billing on its list of 
headlines and added a Thai flag graphic to all related 
pages of online coverage. 
 
No Guidance Yet 
--------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) As of the afternoon of September 20, the 
Central Propaganda Department had issued no specific 
coverage guidelines, our media contacts said.  The 
press often has more leeway on foreign news stories 
than on domestic ones, said Zhou Qing'an (protect), a 
free lance writer who contributes commentary on 
international issues to the progressive Beijing News. 
Although published images of unrest involving tanks in 
streets never please China's leadership, this coup 
does not have the same sensitivity as the so-called 
"color revolution" in Kyrgyzstan a year and a half 
ago.  Authorities strictly controlled coverage of that 
event after an initial delay in disseminating guidance 
(reftel).  Despite the overnight drama in Thailand, 
the story did not involve powerful pictures of people 
taking to the streets demanding change.  As such, 
Propaganda authorities probably feel coverage of the 
issue has little bearing on China's own stability, 
Zhou surmised.  He concluded that while the unrest in 
Kyrgystan was uncharted territory, coups in Thailand 
are not without precedent. 
 
¶4.  (C) Two developments could spur the censors to 
impose coverage restrictions, said Li Tao (protect), a 
professor at the Tsinghua University School of 
Journalism and Communications who has strong ties to 
the Government.  One would be if a publication decided 
to take sides in the matter without official 
permission.  (Note:  Despite some greater leeway in 
coverage of international events, Chinese media 
generally track the editorial line of the official 
Xinhua news agency on international issues.  End 
note.)  China does not want to harm its relationship 
with whoever emerges as the new Thai leader, Li said. 
In addition, if a Kyrgyz- or Ukraine-style popular 
movement were to materialize, the Propaganda 
Department would issue coverage restrictions.  The 
fact that corruption, a hot topic in China, appears to 
have played a big role in Thaksin's troubles will not 
likely influence the censors' thinking, Zhou the free 
 
BEIJING 00020019  002 OF 002 
 
 
lance writer said. 
 
High Interest in Thailand, Thaksin 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) Prominent coverage of Thai coup will help sell 
papers, Zhou asserted in explaining the prominence of 
the story.  Interest in Thailand, a neighbor with deep 
connections to China, has surged in recent years among 
average Chinese.  An increasing number of Chinese 
tourists are traveling to Thailand, where investment 
from Chinese entrepreneurs is on the upswing, he said. 
Moreover, when Thaksin came to power, much was made in 
the Mainland press of his Chinese origins.  In fact, 
The Beijing News' coverage of the coup included a 
sidebar outlining Thaksin's background that emphasized 
his Guangdong background -- from four generations ago. 
"Any Chinese with the slightest interest in foreign 
affairs knows that Thaksin is part Chinese," Zhou 
remarked.  More sophisticated readers, he continued, 
are aware of the United States' close relationship to 
Thailand and are keen to see what reaction might come 
from Washington. 
 
A Barrage of Mixed Views Online 
------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Internet chat rooms were brimming with 
postings about the coup.  The People.com online 
bulletin board included mixed opinions.  Some netizens 
supported the view that the coup brought down a 
"capitalist" (meant pejoratively) government and that 
"young people are happy."  Others expressed concern 
that the incident could influence regional stability 
or even events in Taiwan.  But on the popular Tianya 
site, most comments opposed the military's action, 
complaining about the Thai king's behavior and the 
toppling of a popularly-elected leader.  A typical 
entry read, "Once again, political power comes from 
the gun and spear." 
 
RANDT